Scotch College

Push the boundaries

The icy extremities of our planet reveal Mother Nature at her most raw, powerful and creative. Nowhere else can you encounter such abundant and curious wildlife, or explore a pristine wilderness that is both exquisitely beautiful and unrelentingly harsh.

Old Scotch is now offering you the opportunity to visit Antarctica on a 10-day journey that will take you right into the heart of this unique part of the world.

In January 2005, Rod Griffith ('73) will be escorting a group from Old Scotch on an expedition to Antarctica. The expedition will be a 10-night voyage departing from Ushuaia, at the southern tip of South America. It will concentrate on the Antarctica Peninsula and the sub-Antarctic Islands of the Southern Ocean. This area is the most accessible and the most scenic part of Antarctica, and it has the highest concentration of wildlife on the continent.

Rod, who is the Business Development Manager at Peregrine, has led over 50 expeditions throughout the world. He has climbed many of the mountains of Nepal and throughout the Himalayas, as well as leading expeditions in South America, Thailand, Vietnam, Tibet, China, Africa, New Zealand, Australia, and Antarctica.

Peregrine has been conducting trips to Antarctica since 1996. It has its own ships, the Akademik Ioffe and the Sergei Vavilov. They are the best ships travelling to Antarctica from the perspective of stability, speed, manoeuvrability, comfort, and strength. They are both ice-strengthened and have bow and stern thrusters allowing them to gain access to a number of areas where other ships cannot travel.

In Antarctica, January has long daylight hours, allowing for several excursions each day. Peregrine has a full fleet of Zodiac boats which are the perfect vessels to get ashore, or to cruise the innumerable bays and islands.

In the company of expert naturalists, you can enjoy superb, close-up views of the beautifully-sculptured icebergs, come face to face with whales, visit penguin rookeries, and watch fur seal pups playing in the shallows, all part of the fragile wilderness of Antarctica.

Peregrine will conduct an 18-day trip from Australia called the 'Antarctic Explorer' (see column 1) departing on 30 December 2004. This trip will be offered to Old Scotch as a complete package and Peregrine will take $500 off the price for all Old Scotch Collegians and their travelling companions.
If you are interested, Rod will be conducting an information night at Peregrine House, 258 Lonsdale Street, Melbourne, on Wednesday 21 April 2004, commencing at 6.15pm. At that information night he will be speaking about this trip and what you will experience if you decide to go ahead and travel to Antarctica.

For further information or filmshow bookings please contact Megan Stewart on (03) 9652 0107 or email megan@peregrineadventures.com

There is a website dedicated to this trip and it is:
www.peregrineadventures.com/oldscotchonice

If you are looking for a more challenging trip, Rod will be leading an exploratory expedition in Nepal departing 2 October 2004. This trip will climb a 6000 metre peak named Ramdung Peak and cross a very challenging high pass, the Teshi Lapcha, before trekking up through regions which have rarely been visited by westerners. For further information contact Rod on (03) 9652 0171 or email griff@peregrineadventures.com

Website reference:
www.peregrineadventures.com/trips/phet

10-night Peregrine Antarctic Explorer cruise

Return international airfares (Aerolineas Argentinas) Ex Sydney to Buenos Aires Return domestic airfares (Aerolineas Argentinas) ex Buenos Aires to Ushuaia 2 nights pre-cruise accommodation in LaFayette Hotel Buenos Aires 1 night pre-cruise accommodation in Hotel Ushuaia, Ushuaia All activities, excursions, lectures, meals, and accommodation on board the ship (sea kayaking extra) 2 nights post-cruise accommodation in Ushuaia Fagnano Lake off road 4wd day trip Airport transfers Pre-paid taxes

Peregrine are one of four OSCA Major Sponsors for 2004. New Oak Ford, Jellis Craig and Donohue Financial Planning are also Major Sponsors. Flyers accompanying this edition of Great Scot contain more details.